Magnificent

[SwissBlade]

In 1971 we stood toe-to-toe with the best teams in the top flight and beat most of them.

Mind, there wasn't VAR back then.

Thats longer than 42 years ago

 

[Elsecar_Blade]

No it’s VAR imho. Someone’s toenail is offside from this particular arbitrary angle from this particular arbitrary frame when we draw this particular arbitrary line.
VAR sucks

I think they are doing the best they can with the technology available to enforce the ludicrous rule. We all know that Moose today - like Lunny at Spurs, the Wolves player today, Pukki, Zaha et al - was "level" but that has been deemed null and void by a decision by the PL / MikeRiley / PGMOL that VAR will be used to measure it exactly - at least they are being consistent with it however daft it seems. If you decide that's the rule we're going to enforce with VAR, then VAR does what it does to the best of it's ability. But, like you say, the choosing of the exact frame and body part and line positioning is proving too difficult to be definitive and is thus causing this anger. VAR sucks on offside because the rule sucks. If they had the common sense to say that such close decisions are level and shouldn't be measured with lines and rulers, then all the controversy goes away.

 

[JJ Sefton]

I think they are doing the best they can with the technology available to enforce the ludicrous rule. We all know that Moose today - like Lunny at Spurs, the Wolves player today, Pukki, Zaha et al - was "level" but that has been deemed null and void by a decision by the PL / MikeRiley / PGMOL that VAR will be used to measure it exactly - at least they are being consistent with it however daft it seems. If you decide that's the rule we're going to enforce with VAR, then VAR does what it does to the best of it's ability. But, like you say, the choosing of the exact frame and body part and line positioning is proving too difficult to be definitive and is thus causing this anger. VAR sucks on offside because the rule sucks. If they had the common sense to say that such close decisions are level and shouldn't be measured with lines and rulers, then all the controversy goes away.

I'm not too upset about the Moose decision, he was offside. The referee though...

 

[John Street West Terrace]

And yet despite all that, we don’t get beaten by quality we get beaten by shoddy decisions and poor application of a review system....

Best United team I’ve witnessed in my 42 years and it’s honestly killing my love for the game

Ditto SB been watching the lads now for 43 years , we more than took the game to game to them , most sides go there and set up not to get mullered , we more than held our own .. got shafted by incompetence

 

[John Street West Terrace]

They all played well but I have to say Fleck was outstanding

 

[SwissBlade]

Ditto SB been watching the lads now for 43 years , we more than took the game to game to them , most sides go there and set up not to get mullered , we more than held our own .. got shafted by incompetence

I’ve not been as pissed off in losing a game for a long while.

Some games you hold your hands up and say yes, we were beaten by a better team or fine margins. Liverpool was a game like that with Hendo’s clanger. Today wasn’t one of those games, despite them punishing us at the end and yes they took their chances.

But today I’m pissed off all our hard work, efforts and quality were separated by nonsense. The ref should know better and should be strong enough to blow his whistle and even look at the pitch side monitor if needs be

 

[John Street West Terrace]

I’ve not been as pissed off in losing a game for a long while.

Some games you hold your hands up and say yes, we were beaten by a better team or fine margins. Liverpool was a game like that with Hendo’s clanger. Today wasn’t one of those games, despite them punishing us at the end and yes they took their chances.

But today I’m pissed off all our hard work, efforts and quality were separated by nonsense. The ref should know better and should be strong enough to blow his whistle and even look at the pitch side monitor if needs be

Totally agree

 

[wavy-blade]

Most of them were.

Just Two of them were not.

UTB

Yes the Ref and Lineslady ?

 

[JJ Sefton]

I’ve not been as pissed off in losing a game for a long while.

Some games you hold your hands up and say yes, we were beaten by a better team or fine margins. Liverpool was a game like that with Hendo’s clanger. Today wasn’t one of those games, despite them punishing us at the end and yes they took their chances.

But today I’m pissed off all our hard work, efforts and quality were separated by nonsense. The ref should know better and should be strong enough to blow his whistle and even look at the pitch side monitor if needs be

Guardiola gives refs a lot of shit and I wonder if today wasn’t some pay off for that? Ref thinks in a split second that he doesn’t want to get bollocked by the baldy genius.

 

[wavy-blade]

That header from Billy ffs , it just wasn't our night but it never is when we play the big teams Ala Liverpool

 

[S40BLADE]

In the words of Wilder early in the season "I'm not here for sympathy I'm here for results"

 

[Large Mendonca]

That header from Billy ffs , it just wasn't our night but it never is when we play the big teams Ala Liverpool

They'd have found him to be offside by a stray pube

 

[SwissBlade]

Guardiola gives refs a lot of shit and I wonder if today wasn’t some pay off for that? Ref thinks in a split second that he doesn’t want to get bollocked by the baldy genius.

I think so. Absolutely. He plays a smart game

Bigger than this though, The refs are no longer accountable. Hiding behind VAR is the worst thing to happen to the game.

A Lino flags, a ref blows whistle, a ref blocks the player, it doesn’t matter, some review room hundreds of miles away with top security and limited access has a couple of folk looking at TV screens... they just decide and then the ref draws a tv screen with his fingers like some stadium game of charades and accepts their decision. The ref doesn’t ref the game any more. No accountability.

For years I’ve wanted referees to be interviewed post match and give their comments and reasoning. Even better stick a microphone on them like rugby or Aussie football.

Var has to go

 

[Snowman]

I am presently sat in Grand Central Station NYC having a beer. At 33 minutes into our match I walked past a sports goods shop on 5th Ave with a huge screen showing our game. It was 0-0 then. Ok we lost. I expected that. Fuck VAR as well. However the point is we were there on a global stage on a massive screen in a fucking sports shop in one of the biggest cities in the world with punters watching us. That is magnificent and we must stay up this year to consolidate and build. Incidentally my fault we lost because if I see or hear anything about us on away games it goes TU. First loss for the Snowman red socks pants, vans and red training shirt combo.

 

[GreenhillBladeinToronto]

I am presently sat in Grand Central Station NYC having a beer. At 33 minutes into our match I walked past a sports goods shop on 5th Ave with a huge screen showing our game. It was 0-0 then. Ok we lost. I expected that. Fuck VAR as well. However the point is we were there on a global stage on a massive screen in a fucking sports shop in one of the biggest cities in the world with punters watching us. That is magnificent and we must stay up this year to consolidate and build. Incidentally my fault we lost because if I see or hear anything about us on away games it goes TU. First loss for the Snowman red socks pants, vans and red training shirt combo.

I hear you but.... what were u going just happening to be walking past that aforementioned mega screen at 33 minutes in when The Football Factory pub at 6 W 33rd has every live Prem game. And was also the place for a good bit of banter (all friendly ) as I was only shirted Blade with the Mrs in their watching Chelsea - and Chelsea is one the many of many worldwide clubs that have designated that bar as their NYC supporters club branch.
And, If any Blades with monicas in here that suggest they are based in Toronto actually are based in Toronto (as am I...) we need to start PM ing to see if there’s enough of us to get a pub to adopt us @SUFCYYZ (or summit like that....). Cos I was tempted to go down to Opera Bobs (as home of Toronto MCFC chapter) on Dundas today in my colts and then thought better of it.
Liverpool (with many other clubs....) call Scallywags (Yonge/Eglinton) their home. Could be a good a place for Thursday ?
PM me if any of you Toro to Blades see this
.
Thinking I should have started a sep thread on this to drum up interest. Let’s see what develops overnight (what develops overnight often depends on the Mrs. of course...

Tonight was another watershed successfully attacked. Thursday is another - Pool still unbeaten - you have to fancy us for an upset cos that what’s we used to be experts at even ore Wilder.

 

[GreenhillBladeinToronto]

I hear you but.... what were u going just happening to be walking past that aforementioned mega screen at 33 minutes in when The Football Factory pub at 6 W 33rd has every live Prem game. And was also the place for a good bit of banter (all friendly ) as I was only shirted Blade with the Mrs in their watching Chelsea - and Chelsea is one the many of many worldwide clubs that have designated that bar as their NYC supporters club branch.
And, If any Blades with monicas in here that suggest they are based in Toronto actually are based in Toronto (as am I...) we need to start PM ing to see if there’s enough of us to get a pub to adopt us @SUFCYYZ (or summit like that....). Cos I was tempted to go down to Opera Bobs (as home of Toronto MCFC chapter) on Dundas today in my colts and then thought better of it.
Liverpool (with many other clubs....) call Scallywags (Yonge/Eglinton) their home. Could be a good a place for Thursday ?
PM me if any of you Toro to Blades see this
.
Thinking I should have started a sep thread on this to drum up interest. Let’s see what develops overnight (what develops overnight often depends on the Mrs. of course...

Tonight was another watershed successfully attacked. Thursday is another - Pool still unbeaten - you have to fancy us for an upset cos that what’s we used to be experts at even ore Wilder.

Ok so to clarify....
colts = colors
Toro to = Toronto
ore = before (or could have been “awe” as in awe of Wilder....)
It’s a late one ‘ere (and can’t wake up the Mrs....)

 

[Alf Tuppers Shorts]

They all played well but I have to say Fleck was outstanding

Enda for me , George did a great job on Sterling , Fleck close second but oused premiership class , the rest did us proud and should hold their heads up and say “we deserve to play in the premiership “ Also got to praise CWAK for sticking to their principals and not backing down just because it’s Manchester City. Great night , great fans , great stadium but very poor toilet facilities, will never knock the Kop toilets again , well not until the next game.

 

[Dnblade]

Proud of the lads,we gave it a real go...ended up with 3 Strikers up top against the reigning Champions in their own back yard...Fleck was immense as were our fans,loud and proud...FV.

 

[ATL Recs]

In 1971 we stood toe-to-toe with the best teams in the top flight and beat most of them.

Mind, there wasn't VAR back then.

1971 football a different beast being top of the division then ( as much as it was great)
No comparison to where we are now and the way we play and who we are playing against
Your talking about comparing British physical clogging football on mud baths with -
The best elite athletes and technical players in the World week in week out,

IMO this is a unique position for the club better than 70-74 you bet it is

On a different planet this

 

[coaxingstar71]

I’ve not been as pissed off in losing a game for a long while.

Some games you hold your hands up and say yes, we were beaten by a better team or fine margins. Liverpool was a game like that with Hendo’s clanger. Today wasn’t one of those games, despite them punishing us at the end and yes they took their chances.

But today I’m pissed off all our hard work, efforts and quality were separated by nonsense. The ref should know better and should be strong enough to blow his whistle and even look at the pitch side monitor if needs be

That's the killer. I think we can accept losing to the better team with more quality, but it's the manner of the defeat that leaves a bitter taste.

These things are supposed to even out so I'm expecting some really dodgy decisions to go in our favour in the second half of the season!

Yeah, we'll see.

 

[SwissBlade]

That's the killer. I think we can accept losing to the better team with more quality, but it's the manner of the defeat that leaves a bitter taste.

These things are supposed to even out so I'm expecting some really dodgy decisions to go in our favour in the second half of the season!

Yeah, we'll see.

You're right! I don't buy the "it'll even itself out" cliche. I commented on a Friends facebook post about VAR last night, she's a Spurs fan and sure enough my comment directly aimed at Liverpool and Man City getting the rub of the green struck a nerve with a Liverpool fan saying that all clubs are affected by VAR... I agree, they are.

The problem is that the level of impact is now getting out of hand with the likes of Sheff United, Wolves and Norwich.

So, unless the other teams start getting a lot more going against them then it won't level itself out. And why should it have to? Weren't we told that this amazing technology which was tested in the financial insignificance and low pressure of Womens Football would improve the game. Yet we're finding that its created more issues and the technology and application of it is not as robust as we were also led to believe.

 

[Sheffsteel]

The problem is that the level of impact is now getting out of hand with the likes of Sheff United, Wolves and Norwich.

But VAR has made the correct decision based on the current rules.
Its normal that some clubs will have good luck whilst others have bad luck.....we’re suffering bad luck with VAR.
What the referees or VAR can’t start doing is feeling sorry for SU, Wolves or NC and giving incorrect decisions in favour of those clubs.

At least with VAR we can see video evidence why a decision has been made where as previously there was out and out referee blunders.
Previously ref mistakes were so extreme that it made fans much more angrier than now. Players were losing respect for refs, crowding and arguing/ intimidating them, also players were constantly diving trying to con the ref.....notice how cheating/ diving happens less often this season..that’s because players know it’s all caught on camera.

 

[SwissBlade]

But VAR has made the correct decision based on the current rules.
Its normal that some clubs will have good luck whilst others have bad luck.....we’re suffering bad luck with VAR.
What the referees or VAR can’t start doing is feeling sorry for SU, Wolves or NC and giving incorrect decisions in favour of those clubs.

At least with VAR we can see video evidence why a decision has been made where as previously there was out and out referee blunders.
Previously ref mistakes were so extreme that it made fans much more angrier than now. Players were losing respect for refs, crowding and arguing/ intimidating them, also players were constantly diving trying to con the ref.....notice how cheating/ diving happens less often this season..that’s because players know it’s all caught on camera.

I'd argue against VAR having made the correct decisions.

Initially i was looking at it and assuming that it was correct, because we were told that the technology was so good... but its not.

When you start going down to pixels on offsides to try and prove a player is offside, but not taking into consideration the exact pixel where the ball was kicked, camera angles, parts of the body in relation to the ground, frame rates... doubt starts to appear.

Unlike Goal line technology, it is open to interpretation and therefore doubt, meaning that you can't be sure that the decision is correct

As for Diving and cheating, there is still a lot of that going on. Way more than we had in the championship last season. I can't talk about the Premier League last season as i haven't watched it for years

The biggest difference is that the ref no longer has any accountability.

 

[Yewsman]

I don't accept VAR got the offside correct. It is not that accurate to rule correctly in such a tight situation. It has to be modified or it will ruin the game (if it hasn't already). There needs to be a margin for error built in (like umpires decision in cricket). Hopefully even the PL and Riley can see it does not work as at present. They need to sit around the table with representatives of the scientific guys, players, Managers. Owners, referees, fans and even some ex-pro pundits (some of whom do talk sense), look at the anomalies and problems and come up with some amendments that make it workable.

 

[bornablade]

I am sure at the start of the season CW said that VAR could prevent teams such as Man Utd getting dodgy penalties at Old Trafford because technology will not be swayed by external pressures.

Looking at the decisions against us at this half way point it's not really working out like that.

BTW I've been against VAR from the start.

The numerous emotions you feel during the course of a 90 minute football match are exactly those that you experience in life.

There is no other game that can give you that.

There's no technology available in life for you to re-wind and change things. And that's how it should be in football.

Pele called it 'The Beautiful Game'. At present it's slightly tainted.

 

[ucandomagic]

1971 football a different beast being top of the division then ( as much as it was great)
No comparison to where we are now and the way we play and who we are playing against
Your talking about comparing British physical clogging football on mud baths with -
The best elite athletes and technical players in the World week in week out,

IMO this is a unique position for the club better than 70-74 you bet it is

On a different planet this

Most of today's “athletes” wouldn’t have lasted 15 minutes in 1971.

People like TC and Best played on mud pitches in an era when football was a real contact sport. Quality involved playing in pain, as well as having incredible skill under dreadful conditions.

With today’s internationalism and sports science TC and Woody would have been megastars for Real Madrid or Barcelona.

What we watch at Bramall Lane today is the result of fantastic recruitment, coaching and conditioning - but we simply don’t have the financial resources to have players with anything like the natural ability of Hagan, Currie or Woodward.